STOCKTON - The Idaho Steelheads found a way to do what the Thunder's first two playoff opponents could not accomplish.

They beat Stockton in overtime.

Austin Fyten scored a power-play goal with 1:41 remaining in the extra period and the Steelheads won 2-1 in front of a crowd of 3,198 on Wednesday at Stockton Arena. The Thunder leads the best-of-seven ECHL Western Conference finals 2-1, and so far the home team has yet to win in the series.

The Thunder was undefeated in overtime during the postseason prior to Wednesday, and its five OT playoff wins tie a league record.

The difference turned out to be on special teams.

Stockton was 0 for 5 on the power play, and Idaho finally cashed-in on its third extra-man opportunity of the game. Thunder forward Matt Reber was sent to the penalty box for cross-checking, and Fyten beat Thunder goaltender Olivier Roy.

Roy had 40 saves, and Josh Robinson had 41 for Idaho.

For the 12th time in 16 postseason contests, the Thunder gave up the first goal. It took some time for Stockton to score the equalizer after it allowed a goal in the second period, but Eric Hunter tied the game 2:51 into the third period.

Reber set up the goal, and he paid for it. Speeding past Robinson, with a Steelhead player in hot pursuit, Reber sent the puck to the front of the net before he was smashed into the boards, and Hunter cleaned up the loose puck.

The Steelheads had a rush in the final minute of regulation, but Roy handled it once again. He stopped Gord Baldwin's slap shot with a glove save, and with the puck bouncing in front of the crease with 5.3 seconds to go, Roy covered up and allowed his team to kill the clock.

Both teams had reasons to be frustrated in an evenly skated first period, in which each had 10 shots.

The Thunder could not take advantage of three power-play opportunities in the first 20 minutes. The Steelheads had a few chances, but were thwarted by Roy or the crossbar on the Stockton net.

Idaho forward Adrian Foster had a look with 7:17 remaining in the first and blasted a shot at Roy. Luckily for the Thunder, it sailed a bit, and a loud clang was heard around the arena after the puck ricocheted off the crossbar.

The Steelheads finally broke through 11:11 into the second period when Andrew Carroll let a wrist shot go from between the circles and beat Roy over his stick.

Defenseman Nathan Deck, returned to the Thunder from the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League, was paired with his former line partner, Tony DeHart. The duo had quite a bit of success together earlier in the season. It was Deck's first game in a Thunder uniform since March 17.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Cincinnati Cyclones beat the Reading (Pa.) Royals 3-2 on Wednesday in overtime. The Royals lead 2-1, and all three games have gone into overtime.